The Big Picture
- McSweeney filed a lawsuit against Bravo and Cohen for enabling addiction issues on RHONY, seeking genuine support.
- Despite negative reactions from other housewives like Gunvalson, McSweeney is sharing her story on her own terms.
- McSweeney disclosed her struggles with addiction and recovery in the lawsuit, aiming to align reality TV with its true purpose.
Leah McSweeney dropped a bombshell lawsuit against Bravo and Andy Cohen recently centering around her time on the network's reality showsThe Real Housewives of New York and The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip. Though the accusations were about how the network and Cohen helped to enable her addiction issues and were not supportive of her protecting herself, that hasn't stopped other housewives from speaking negatively about it.The Real Housewives of Orange County and Bravo star Vicki Gunvalson has shared her thoughts on McSweeney's lawsuit.
In an interview with Us Weekly, Gunvalson admitted to not knowing the specifics of McSweeney's lawsuit (meaning she did not read it) but she still shared her thoughts on the situation. “I don’t know much other than she is suing Andy, which is crazy to me,” she said. “Why she is waiting now for everybody else and bringing our bosses down, I don’t know because I wasn’t there.” She went on to call it "dirty" and claimed that McSweeney was “trying to get deep pockets from it." She also compared her own relationship to Cohen to what McSweeney is claiming, saying "He has always been professional with me, we have a very big relationship.”
Gunvalson is far from the first Housewife to speak out against McSweeney and her lawsuit, many are backing Cohen. Kyle Richards, Lisa Vanderpump, Luann de Lesseps, and more have backed Cohen and put their own experiences while on their respective shows into consideration. Still, McSweeney is sharing her story.
The Real Housewives of Orange County
TV-14Reality TVA look at five families living in a protected Southern California enclave, and the real-life housewives who reside in one of the wealthiest planned communities in the country.
- Release Date
- March 21, 2006
- Creator
- Scott Dunlop
- Cast
- Tamra Judge , Vicki Gunvalson , Shannon Storms Beador , Heather Dubrow
- Main Genre
- Reality TV
- Seasons
- 18
Leah McSweeney's Nearly Didn't File the Lawsuit
McSweeney took to Instagram to share a message with her supporters about the lawsuit and shared her story in her own words. "This is not a story I ever thought I would be telling; in fact, I was petrified to speak on it and was warned not to. Today my attorneys filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court of The Southern District of New York against my former employers. Your favorite Bravo shows are run by people who create a dangerous work environment, encourage substance abuse to artificially create drama and cynically prey on the vulnerabilities of their employees. Some of the stories and incidents that are detailed in the lawsuit have been shown in edited form on TV or reported in media, but many have not," she wrote.
Andy Cohen Is Right, Don't Come On 'Housewives' If You Have Something to Hide
The 'Watch What Happens Live' host has seen scandal after scandal in his tenure presiding over the franchise, here are the best of them.She went on to talk about more of her experience. "And there will be much more that comes out once the people involved are questioned under oath. Today I am taking back my reality. There's something wonderful about the concept of Reality TV - that millions of people you've never met can laugh with you, cry with you, empathize with and root for you. But the reckless and diabolical way in which the people at the top drool over the mishaps and misfortunes of the women including myself are disturbing. It's a workplace culture where toxicity, alcoholism and pain are not only expected but encouraged and facilitated. That is something I most definitely did not sign up for nor would I ever endorse."
She added: "There is nothing more important than my sobriety, without it I risk losing everything. I have been very transparent about my addiction and recovery however there are personal things in this lawsuit that I never wanted to disclose for fear of being judged and shamed, but I am at a point now in my life where I feel strong enough to withstand whatever may come my way. I have love and respect for many of the Bravo talent and getting to know them was a positive experience in all of this. I may be a pariah to them after this, but I do hope my lawsuit helps reality TV to align with its true purpose: to authentically depict the complexities of life while offering genuine support to those who share their stories. I've been trying to address this internally for years now but have been dismissed, stone-walled, and gaslit (but actually) at every turn since. Bravo can try to manipulate my reality and others' all they want, but the cold hard facts of this case are as real as it gets. Thank you to my close friends and family and of course Adelman Matz who have supported me in every difficult but necessary step of this journey. I will see you in court."
The Real Housewives of New York can be streamed on Peacock.
